Succeeding generations will most likely continue losing the mechanical skills that were more prevalent decades ago. Today’s ease of living in the wealthiest and most technologically advanced country in the world causes the mechanical trades to fall off in practice, except for those who are already employed in the blue-collar trades.
My father, although a civil engineer, guided me toward the life experience of know-how in the material world and not necessarily any college field. During high school, he imparted small bits of his limited wisdom on mechanical knowledge. The first Christmas after I bought my first car (with my paper-route money), Dad’s gift to me was my first Husky ratchet and socket set. He made sure to point out the set included the deep sockets. I’m 70 years old and I still have the entire set, in the original red metal case.
